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A46
life
Guardian www.guardian.co.tt Wednesday, July 3, 2013
KERON BRIDGLAL
With an array of imported
fruits available year-round,
pineapple farmers fear that
local fruits are in danger of
becoming extinct.
Ramash Ramsumair, president
of the Tableland Pineapple
Farmers Association (TPFA),
yesterday urged consumers to
purchase more local fruits.
He said by so doing, social
issues such as increasing
unhealthy population and a
massive food import bill that is
draining the economy could be
addressed.
Ramsumair said consumers
have developed a taste for for-
eign fruits, and this has led to
a rapid decline in the sale of
local fruits.
"There is little demand for
local fruit. Low demand usually
results in low supply and, in our
case, near extinction of our local
varieties of fruit.
"Further, when fruit becomes
rare they reappear on the market
at exorbitant prices so that the
poor, who once relied on these
fruits, cannot access them," he
said.
He added that the lack of local
fruits means that, "There is no
cheap alternative to the foreign
apples and such which are so
commonplace today. It has
become so acute, that young
people and even middle-aged
people who are citizens here do
not even know the names of our
local fruit much less the taste."
Ramsumair said against this
background, the TPFA staged
its second annual Win With
Fruits Festival, held at the Sim-
plex Complex, New Grant,
Princes Town.
He said the approach was
twofold, in that they first wanted
to encourage adults to engage
in healthy lifestyles through the
daily consumption of local fruits
and secondly, to introduce young
people to local fruits by giving
them an opportunity to see,
learn and taste them.
Ramsumair said T&T was
facing a myriad of problems
which was affecting healthy
lifestyles.
"There are many things in
this beautiful land of T&T which
are less than beautiful and quite
frankly undesirable in any soci-
ety seeking to progress in a
responsible and sustainable
fashion," he said.
He added, "These problems,
upon close inspection self-
inflicted, but it is easier to blame
governments. We want to show
people that they can be part of
the solution."
Ultimately, he said the focus
was on saving local fruits from
extinction on the local market.
"The association used the fes-
tival as an innovative way to
market produce and educate cit-
izens on the types of fruits
grown locally."
To this end, an array of exotic
local fruits were creatively dis-
played for the public s enjoy-
ment. Patrons attending the fes-
tival participated in spelling bee
competitions, watermelon and
citrus-eating competitions and
chow-making competitions.
Pineapple farmers saving
local fruits from extinction
Pineapple farmers fear that local fruits are in danger
of becoming extinct.